Royals fans yesterday snapped up the last of the tickets for the 24,000-plus sell-out match on Wednesday December 3.

Around 1,000 hopeful supporters had flocked to Madejski Stadium yesterday, some queuing all night, in the hope of purchasing the final 380 tickets on general sale. Hundreds, though, were left disappointed.

The tickets were sold to 9,100 season-ticket holders, 11,000 stub holders for the previous match with Huddersfield, 4,500 Chelsea followers and just under 380 to the public.

But the club believe they could could have cleared 35,000 tickets had the capacity been big enough to cater for demand. The total gate receipts will be around £300,000 after VAT is deducted.

Under the rules Reading must split that sum down the middle with Chelsea.

Reading FC sales and marketing manager Boyd Butler said: "As one would expect there has been huge demand. Chelsea are one of the most attractive clubs in Europe, maybe more so than Manchester United.

"And it just shows if we were a Premiership side for a number of years a 35,000-seater stadium would be about right for us."

Should Reading pull off the shock of the round and dump Chelsea out then anyone who has a stub for the Nationwide League home clash with Watford on Saturday week will get priority for the Carling Cup fifth round.